TWO town libraries are the latest services to be hit by the large budget cuts faced by Ceredigion County Council.

Llandysul library’s future hangs in the balance with an agreement yesterday by the council’s cabinet to go out to public consultation on plans to close it.

The library in Cardigan looks set to relocate to smaller premises, though all services within it would be retained. Its current lease at Canolfan Teifi is up.

Two options are being considered – with the public and staff to be asked to have their say.

Option one includes closing Llandysul library and reducing the number of mobile library vans by two.

Option two would reduce the mobile library vans by one, close Llandysul Library and see Cardigan Library relocated.

Following a decision not to move the council’s Morgan Street offices in Cardigan, it has been suggested that a smaller library could now be moved into the ground of the building.

The council had considered closing the Morgan Street office and relocating the services there to the building where the library is currently based, but the plan did not go down well with many councillors. The decision was called in by members of the scrutiny committee who referred it back to the full council for discussion before it was thrown out.

At Monday’s cabinet meeting it was argued by some that calling in the decision on the Morgan Street offices and combining them with Canolfan Teifi has now put the library in danger.

But the intention of the moving offices to make a ‘one stop shop’ was to safeguard the service, explained leader of the council, Cllr Ellen ap Gwyn.

The suggestion to close Llandysul comes as a council report notes that the library there has the fewest number of visitors and loans in the county.

Llandysul Councillor Peter Evans spoke of the detrimental effect losing the library could have on the town.

He said: “I feel that the people of Llandysul and Tregaron are just as deserving of the same services as the other towns.

“I understand that we have to save money. With the school moving on to the outskirts of the town and the leisure centre, fewer people are coming to town. Businesses will close and Llandysul will become a shell.”

In reply, Cllr Ellen ap Gwyn said: “I am sad to hear that the town could suffer. Hopefully the new school will bring people into the town. I do not want to see any town deteriorate.”

Ceredigion County Council must make a savings of £25 million over the next three years.

It was explained in the Cabinet meeting that due to the fact some services cannot be cut by reason of law, other services, such as libraries, will have to bear the burden.